Anything For Love
by Elizabeth Mitchell
Summary: Hermione has been cheating on Ron with Draco. He tires of watching her leave his bed in the morning to go back to her husband and comes up with a plan to make her his.


As the warm early morning sun spilled in through the open windows, Draco Malfoy looked down at the sleeping witch in his arms. He knew that she would soon wake and realize her mistake, but for now, he was content to lay and watch her sleep.

_I could wake up like this every morning and be the happiest wizard alive_, he thought with a small smile. He thought that the way her tiny freckled nose twitched as she was waking up was just about the cutest thing he'd ever seen. She opened her eyes and smiled when she saw him staring at her before snuggling in closer to his chest. A wave of contentment washed over him, but he knew it wouldn't last. Soon she would stiffen and jump from his bed, remembering the life she had to get back to.

Long before he was ready for it, he felt her gasp against his chest and knew it was over for today. True to form, she sprang from under the covers and began rummaging for her clothes from the night before.

"Oh God," she moaned, "Ron is going to _kill_ me. This wasn't supposed to happen again."

As she was jumping into her Muggle jeans, she turned to him and yelled, "This is entirely your fault Malfoy!"

"How do you figure Granger?"

"Because you… you… you exhausted me!"

He smirked, "Fine Granger, next time I'll just try to be a little bit less of a magnificent lover. Those were your words, were they not?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Malfoy," she snorted. "Magnificent is not how I'd describe it, at all. It was average at best."

Grabbing his chest he groaned, "You wound me, you truly wound me. Now you'll simply have to stay and make it up to me, Little One."

Remarkably, it seemed as though she was considering it before shaking her head. "No, Malfoy I have to get going. Ronald will be wondering where I am. It's going to be bad enough already without making him wait any longer."

"Insult my prowess all you want Granger but you can't honestly tell me that you would rather be with him than me, so please, do us both a favour and come back to bed."

"I wish I could Draco."

As she turned to leave, giving the bed and the man in it one last longing look she thought there had to be a better way to be happy.

With a sigh, Draco got up out of bed to start getting ready for the day. After a quick shower, he dressed and made his way to his favourite Muggle coffee shop to meet Blaise before work.

The line at the coffee shop was unusually long when Draco and Blaise got there. While he was not normally one to wait in lines, Draco decided to take the opportunity to fill Blaise in on what happened with Granger the night before.

"She stayed the night again," he began.

Blaise looked confused for a moment before realization flashed across his face, "Oh Granger." Draco nodded. "She does that more often than not, now doesn't she?"

Again, Draco nodded, "Yeah, she does. Then every morning it's the same. She seems to be happy where she is, until she realizes where she is and starts freaking out. Then she just runs out like she's done something wrong."

"She's cheating on her husband; technically she is doing something wrong."

"I refuse to believe that cheating on a Weasley can be considered wrong, especially when cheating with me. Cheating on me? Now that would be wrong. Inconceivable really that anyone could do it."

"Certainly didn't stop Astoria, now did it?" Blaise teased.

His eyes darkening, Draco grit out, "I thought we weren't going to mention her anymore, Zabini."

Blaise laughed, "Oh come now, Malfoy you've been divorced for two years it's time to let it go. Especially because I know how much you like Granger. Just forget about Astoria, she's probably miserable without you anyways."

"Oh yes, I'm sure she's downright depressed living in the Bahamas with that bastard Nott, wasting away her share of the Malfoy vaults."

"Draco, do you even actually care? Or are you just feigning indignation because you think that's what you're supposed to do after you wife runs off with one of your best mates."

Draco smirked at the darker man, "You know me too well Blaise. I really don't give a shit what she does. But indignation is fun."

Blaise shook his head at his mate, before placing his order for a non-fat pumpkin spice latte and then going to find a table while Malfoy ordered as well.

Several minutes later Malfoy came to join him carrying three cups of coffee. Blaise knew of course, who the third cup was for but decided to tease Draco about and anyway.

"And who is that for then?"

Draco glared at him, "It's for a co-worker."

"Is that all she is?" Blaise smirked.

"Oh shut up," Draco countered lamely, before casting a discreet warming charm on the cup and sitting down. "It almost seemed like she was going to stay this morning. I hate watching her leave every morning, knowing she's going back to _him_. I know that she doesn't love him anymore, I'm not sure that she ever did to tell you the truth."

"So what are you going to do about it," Blaise said plainly.

"What do you mean what am I going to do about it? What can I do, trick her into divorcing the Weasel?"

Blaise just looked at him expectantly.

"You think I should try to trick Hermione Granger into getting a divorce?"

"No," Blaise smirked, "I think you should blackmail her."

"Blackmail," Draco repeated incredulously.

"Yes, blackmail. The Gryffindor Princess is cheating on her war-hero, Quidditch star husband. All you have to do is threaten to go public with it and she'll do anything you want her to do to save their reputations."

"She's not a Slytherin, Blaise. Reputation isn't as important to her as it is to us," the blond pointed out.

"Not to her it isn't, but have you ever met a Gryffindor more interested in fame than Ron Weasley?" Blaise paused to let that sink in, "And have you ever met anyone more loyal to her mates than Hermione Granger? She'd do anything to keep him happy."

Draco nodded, the plan forming solidly in his mind.

Hermione opened the door as slowly and quietly as she could hoping that perhaps Ron was still asleep and hadn't noticed her absence. If she could just make it upstairs and slip into bed next to him, she might avoid a conflict.

She tiptoed across the living room and was feeling pretty good about her chances until she reached the kitchen.

"Late night working again, Mione?" Ron sneered. He was searching in the cabinets looking for anything that he could eat without actually having to cook anything. So far, he had some toast on the counter as well as some cold cereal and the whole carton of pumpkin juice.

"Oh yes, I just had so much to do and I must have dozed off in the middle of some paperwork."

He snorted before taking a swig of juice straight from the carton, causing Hermione to cringe.

"You know Ronald, we do have glasses and I believe you knew where they are."

He shrugged and took another swig from the carton.

"You'll need to go shopping today; we're running out of food. Although it's not like you're ever home to cook anything anyways."

"Ron you know how important my job is to me. We've been over this a thousand times and you knew all this about me before we got married."

"Before we were married you weren't working for that ferret Malfoy," Ron spat.

"Where I work has nothing to do with it Ronald. Even if I was working for Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, I would still be dedicated to my work. Now if you'll excuse me I need to get a shower and get ready to go back to work."

She turned and left, effectively ending the argument. Hermione knew, however, that the same argument would come up again later. Ronald simply could not get over the fact that she worked at Malfoy Industries.

After a quick shower, Hermione came back downstairs to find that Ron had already gone off to Quidditch practice. As always, his dirty breakfast bowl and plate were left on the counter. With a sigh, she flicked her wand sending them to the sink to wash themselves and left for work.

Extra cup of coffee in hand, Draco entered Hermione's office to see her sitting in her desk chair with her head on her desk, hair fanned out all around her and shoulders heaving.

He set the cup down on the desk next to her head and let the scent of the coffee grabbed her attention.

"One double shot white chocolate mocha with extra whipped cream for the barrister with the bushy hair," Draco called out imitating the annoying voice of the barista at their coffee shop.

"That's my favourite," she mumbled into her desktop.

"Of course it is, why would I get you something you don't like Granger? That would defeat the purpose of getting you the coffee in the first place."

"And what was the point of getting me the coffee, Malfoy?"

"To say that I forgive you for leaving my bed this morning and going to that street rat of man you call a husband," Draco teased.

Glancing up she flashed him a smile before the tears started welling up in her eyes.

"You were right Draco," she sniffled.

"While I think I might have to ask you to write that down later as proof, how was I right again?" he questioned, fairly sure she'd finally lost it.

"When you said that I can't honestly tell you I'd rather be with him." At that, she broke down completely, sobbing into her folded arms on top of her desk. "Every time I accidentally spend the night with you, I wake up feeling happier than I will for the rest of the day. And right before I come to my senses I wish that I could stay there with you forever."

Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her out of her chair to wrap her in a tight embrace.

"Me too, Little One," he whispered into her ear and then held her until her sobs turned into tiny hiccups. "Listen Granger, I have a plan that's going to make all this better and I'll let you in on the plan if you go to dinner with me tomorrow night. Will you do that and let me take care of all the problems?"

Surprisingly Hermione nodded, just wanting to be done with all the lying, cheating and arguing.

Draco smiled, he'd have to make a few small changes in the plan, but it seemed like things would work out even better than he had planned.

Later that night, Hermione came home from work after having stopped at the grocery store to pick up food as per Ron's request. Once she finally got through the door carrying the five bags of food she saw that Ron had once again left his dirty and smelly Quidditch gear on their living room couch.

_This is not going to be a pleasant evening_, she thought with a sigh.

The two sat down to dinner without speaking to each other. The only sounds to be heard were the scraping of their utensils on plates. Hermione knew it was too much to hope for but a thank you would have been a nice change.

"Mione you really should talk to Mum about those cooking lessons," Ron managed to say around the large glob of food in his mouth.

"First of all Ronald, don't talk to me with your mouth full. It's disgusting and I don't want to see your half-masticated food!" Hermione admonished. "Secondly, if you don't like my cooking you are more than welcome to eat at your mother's every night for all I care. Merlin knows she doesn't think I'm doing a good enough job of nourishing you as it is."

Thankfully, Ron swallowed his food before continuing.

"Hermione, I only meant that the food was a little bland. You don't have to get so upset about it."

"No Ronald, you were implying that I don't know how to cook and that I need your mother's help. You were implying that there is yet another thing that I am not good enough at doing for you."

"Oh here we go again, Hermione I'm not saying any of that. I'm just saying that if you had Mum teach you some reci-"

"No you weren't! You are constantly picking at everything I do. 'Hermione you're going to need to buy food even though you're never here to cook.' 'Hermione you are a terrible cook you should really get my mum to teach you how to be the perfect little housewife.' 'Hermione I can't believe you work for Malfoy, you are such a traitor.'"

"You know I think you should have taken the Auror job with Harry, Hermione. I can't understand how you can work for the Malfoys. They are Death Eaters!" Ron yelled, face as red as his hair.

"They used to be Death Eaters, Ron. You know they switched sides and you know that we couldn't have defeated Voldemort without their Intel." He predictably shuddered the name and she rolled her eyes. He was still such a child.

"I still don't trust them. They are probably planning on using you for their own evil purposes or something." Ron spluttered.

"Oh, grow _up_ Ronald! You just can't accept that I am perfectly happy working for Malfoy instead of being a perfect little housewife for you. You can't get over the fact that I would rather spend my days getting bossed around by Draco Malfoy, than sitting around, keeping house, and waiting for you to come home!" She was panting by the end of her rant but it felt good to get those thoughts off her chest.

"If you're done being ridiculous, I'm going to the Leaky for a pint with Harry," Ron mumbled as he picked up his cloak and made his way to the Floo.

"That's just perfect, Ronald, go ahead and leave. You're very good at that aren't you?" Hermione yelled, but it made no difference as he was already gone in a flash of green smoke.

Infuriated, Hermione began to clear the dinner plates and tidy up around the house. She flung Ron's Quidditch gear a scathing look before spelling it clean and into the broom closet.

After doing some paperwork for one of her cases, Hermione decided to head to bed as Ron obviously wasn't coming home any time soon.

A few hours later, Hermione woke to the sounds of someone banging around downstairs. Recognizing the sounds as Ron's drunken stumbling she rolled back over and tried to go back to sleep, however when the door flew open she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep for a while.

"Mione, love, I'm sorry. All right? Let's make up," Ron slurred as he climbed into bed next to her, his hot breath on her neck.

She feigned sleep, hoping that he would give up and pass out. There was no way she was having sex with him tonight.

He wasn't having any of it though and began rubbing his erection against her leg, scratching her sensitive skin with the fabric of his denims.

"Mione wake up love. I've got something for you."

Inwardly she cringed at his drunken fumbling but still she pretended to be asleep. Even if he insisted on using her body to get off, she was not going to participate. She refused to reward him for his behaviour towards her.

Ron continued to rub himself against her for a couple of minutes until he stiffened and came in his pants with a groan. Hermione pushed him off her when she realized he had passed out. Disgusted and feeling dirty, she went to take a shower.

Sobs wrenched through her body as she stood under the scalding spray of the shower. She thought of how loving Malfoy was whenever they had sex and then how self-absorbed Ron was. Hermione had not once come while having sex with Ron. Most of the time he was only interested in getting off himself, and the few times he realized that she was a living being and not a sex doll his groping did nothing to arouse her. Draco, on the other hand, was the most considerate lover she'd ever had. He never allowed himself to come unless she had first.

Draco showered her with kisses but knew when to be rougher with her. He held her after sex, enjoying the cuddling as much as she did. Ron refused to cuddle. He usually fell asleep directly after sex, anyway.

Hermione knew what her heart wanted, and it certainly wasn't the redheaded man that was currently snoring in her bed. She realized now that she needed to do what ever it took to get out of her loveless marriage. She wanted to be happy… and happiness lay with Draco Malfoy.

The next afternoon found Hermione standing in front of her closet in her bra and knickers desperately trying to find something to wear to dinner with Malfoy. It was useless. He had seen her in all of these dresses at work functions. She wanted to impress him tonight, her revelation the night before made their date tonight even more special.

Suddenly she saw it. The perfect dress stuffed way in the back of her closet. An emerald green, silk, halter-style dress that came to about mid-thigh. It was sexy, yet classy and he would love the colour.

She smirked as she looked at herself in the mirror; she hadn't felt this pretty since the Yule Ball so long ago. She just hoped Draco was equally stunned by her appearance.

Just as she is putting the finishing touches on her make-up, she heard Ron come in the room. Her plan to leave before he returned home from Quidditch practice was ruined.

"I am assuming that I haven't forgotten our anniversary and you've dressed up like a tart for Malfoy."

She spun around to face him, shock and hurt written all over her face.

"Well I know you haven't dressed up like that for me ever so it must be someone else. And the only bloke you would dress up for is Ferret face. You are whoring yourself up for him," Ron spat.

Hermione saw red. _How dare he insinuate that I would ever do such a thing?_ The next thing she knew her palm stung like hell and Ron was on the floor, his hand clutched to his face. Her first instinct was to see if he was all right, but instead she just stepped over him on her way out of the room.

"Maybe now you'll start to speak to me with respect Ronald," she spat at him just before Disapparating to the restaurant where she was to meet Malfoy.

He was early. Draco Malfoy was early to a date. Draco Malfoy was _never_ early to a date. That might make to girl think he actually cared about the date. Which was, of course, specifically why he decided to be early to this particular date, thinking that she would be early too and that she would realized that he cared about this particular date.

But she wasn't early. She wasn't even on time. She was 5 minutes late. He has no sooner decided to give her a piece of his mind when she showed up that she walked in looking like a Goddess. Truly the most beautiful witch he'd ever laid eyes upon, and soon she would be all his if his plan worked.

"Sorry I'm late Malfoy, I had a small altercation with my husband just before I left."

"Small altercation? Did that bastard hit you? Because I swear to Merlin if he hurt you…"

Hermione laughed, "Oh no, I hit the bastard."

Draco was speechless.

She smirked. "You weren't expecting that were you?"

"No, I wasn't, but frankly I should have," he took her hand and kissed the back of it, then her palm, "You look beautiful, Little One."

She turned her head to hide her reddening cheeks, but Draco wouldn't have it. He put his finger under her chin and turned her head to face him again.

"Don't ever to try to hide your beautiful face from me, Hermione. It's bad enough that you take away the opportunity for me to look at it whenever you go back to Weasley. At least let me look at you when you are standing in front of me."

His thumb swiped away the tear the fell from her eye and he smiled at her.

"Didn't I tell you everything was going to be alright if you let me take care of it?"

She nodded, unable to speak over the lump in her throat.

"And didn't you trust me?" he questioned, honestly worried about her answer.

"I do now," she whispered before leaning into to kiss him chastely on the lips. All her doubts had been erased, she didn't know what his plan was but no matter what she trusted him with her entire being.

Finally, they sat down to eat, dinner was lovely and the conversation between them was flowing comfortably. Hermione couldn't help but compare it to her dinner with Ron the night before. Just like with everything else between the two wizards they were polar opposites.

As they were waiting for their dessert to arrive, Draco began to outline his plan to Hermione.

"I am going to pretend to blackmail you."

"Excuse me? Pretend blackmail?" she was confused and her frustration was beginning to show.

"Just hear me out Granger, alright?"

She nodded remembering that she did trust this man, and he knew what he was doing when it came to schemes.

"We can pretend that I am blackmailing you after finding out about a case for work that you tampered with. But the only person we'll tell is Weasel."

She rolled her eyes at the childish nickname but continued to listen.

"We'll tell him that if I leak the story it could be devastating to his Quidditch career. That he could lose his position on the Cannons if the scandal gets out about his wife. Granted I don't know why they haven't kicked him off already seeing as he hasn't stopped a single shot this sea-"

She glared at him. While it was true that Ron was an arsehole, he was still one of her oldest mates. Only she could point out that fact that he really was a rubbish Quidditch player.

"Right, so we'll tell him that he could lose his position but that if he signs divorce papers he will no longer be connected to the scandal. And you will officially be rid of the little bugger." He smirked quite proud of the plan and confident that she would accept it.

"You're right, he would do anything to save his career, even - as much as I hate to say it – give me up. He's also still convinced that you are up to something nefarious involving me. He's stupid enough to buy it easily."

"I can even draw up the papers. Make it seem like an inside job if you will," he added.

"Thank you Draco, I know it must seem silly that I can't just divorce him, but it has to seem like it's his idea. Otherwise, I risk losing so much. I couldn't bear it if I lost the support of the Weasleys and Harry."

He took her hand in his and whispered, "When are you going to realize that I would do anything for you Hermione?"

She stood up and ran around the table to him, buried face in his neck and whispered, "I love you too Draco."

He simply smiled and held her close until it was time for them to leave. For the first time, Hermione spent the night with Draco and didn't leave in the morning.

Hermione stepped through the Floo into her flat the next afternoon. She only mean to stop by to grab some clean clothes and to grab some files for work, but all her plans flew out the window when she saw Ron sitting on the living room couch. He was clearly drunk, had probably been drinking since she left the night before, and was staring off into space with a blank expression.

"Ron," she asked quietly, "are you alright?"

His head snapped toward her and he leapt up off the couch faster than she thought possible. In seconds, he was standing right in front of her, his face red, his breathing laboured, and his hands and clenched into tight fists.

"How dare you cheat on me!" he screamed, centimetres away from her face.

"Ron, I can ex-"

"You didn't come home last night, for all I know you were off fucking Malfoy. Or more likely he was pimping you out to all his Death Eater mates!"

For a split second, Hermione was relieved. He didn't actually know that she was sleeping with Draco; he was just talking out of his arse. Then the rest of what he said sunk in – he had called her a whore – again.

"You listen to me Ronald Weasley. If you _ever_ call me a whore again I will hex each of your body parts off and bury them all in different locations around the world so that they will never find them all to put you back together. If you _ever_ imply that I am sleeping with Draco Malfoy again I will burn each of the hairs off your balls. One! By! One!" Hermione was livid, at this point, she didn't care if his accusations were half-right or not, he could shove them up his arse for all she cared.

Ron was speechless. He could only manage to guard his bits with his hands while looking terrified.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "You're going to have to stay somewhere else tonight. I can't stand to have you here."

He nodded before going upstairs to pack an overnight bag. Hermione took a deep breath – this wasn't part of the plan. She really hoped that she hadn't just messed everything up.

When he came back down with his bag packed, he looked completely lost.

"I'll just go spend the night at Harry and Ginny's then," he said as he stepped up to the Floo. Hermione nodded – it was the best place for him to go.

As he disappeared into the green flames, Hermione began to panic. This could have jeopardized the entire plan. How could she have let her temper get so out of control? Hurriedly she threw a handful of Floo powder into the flames and called out for the Manor.

"Malfoy!" she yelled.

She heard the sounds of paper shuffling and chair legs scraping along the floor before his blonde head became visible.

"What's going on, Granger? Is something wrong?"

"I think I might have just blown everything, Malfoy."

"What exactly do you mean blown everything?"

"Ronald and I had a fight when I got home and I kicked him out," Hermione explained, "He's spending the night at Harry's."

"As long as you didn't actually tell him the plan I'm pretty sure we can save it. Weasel's not the brightest Patronus in the world," Draco joked.

"You're right. I can probably say that I was trying to get him to ask me for a divorce so that I didn't have to bring it up by myself."

"Yes, that should work perfectly. I'll come over tomorrow morning and we can put the plan into action when he comes home. You'll soon be free of him love."

"Would you like to come over tonight, Draco? That way you'll be here when he gets back. And I don't really feel like spending tonight alone," Hermione suggested, hoping he would agree.

"I would love to Granger. Just give me a few minutes to finish some things up and I'll be over," Malfoy smirked.

"Great I'll see you in a few minutes then."

Hermione pulled back from the Floo and began to tidy up the mess Ron had left in the living room. Half and hour later, the flames in the Floo turned bright green and Malfoy stepped through.

She immediately ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. Together they made their way up the stairs, Hermione throwing a locking charm in the door as the moved passed it.

Malfoy smirked knowing he was going to make love to Hermione in the Weasel's bed and there wasn't a damn thing the little rat could do about it.

The next morning the lovers woke up to hear banging on the door downstairs. Loud, incessant banging and Ronald's voice yelling for Hermione to let him in.

Hermione shot up out of bed and rushed to put some clothes on while Malfoy just stared up at her with a confused look on his face.

"Don't just lay there Malfoy, hurry up and put some clothes on!" Hermione yelled at the blond as he leered at her arse while she struggled to get into her denims.

"Oh alright, you don't have to turn into a harpy, Granger. Just calm down. You don't want him to hear you yelling at me after all."

"Right, you're right, just hurry and get your clothes on and hide in the kitchen." Hermione rushed around pulling a brush through her hair and throwing it up in a ponytail.

Draco located his clothes and leisurely got dressed, checking his appearance in the mirror.

"Draco! Hurry!" Hermione urged. She pushed him out the door and down the stairs on her way to the front door. Before unlocking it, she sent a quick glance back towards the kitchen to make sure Malfoy was hidden.

An apologetic, if slightly annoyed, looking Ron Weasley stood outside the door, with his overnight bag, and a bunch of roses. Hermione hated roses, but seeing as Ron had never bothered to even get her flowers before it was still a nice gesture.

"Come on in Ron. We need to talk about some things. Thanks for the flowers, they are very nice," she added waving him in.

"Yeah Gin said I should get you some flowers. She said to get you daisies but I thought you'd like roses better so…"

Hermione rolled her eyes, daisies were her favourite flowers, something Ronald would know if he ever paid any attention to her.

"Right. Ron we need to talk about something that's been happening. Why don't you come into the kitchen?"

They began toward the kitchen and Ron dropped his bag on the floor in the hall.

_Predictable,_ Hermione thought. She turned the corner into the kitchen to see Draco sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in his hand and another one next to it for her. Ron stopped short upon seeing the blond wizard in his kitchen.

"What the bloody hell is Malfoy doing here?" he yelled, pulling his wand out of his pants pocket.

"Ron, he is here to help me talk to you. There is something I need to explain to you."

"Ferret get the bloody fuck out of my house!" Ron yelled again his face turning red.

"Oh do shut up, Weasley. And listen to what your wife has to say for once." Draco sneered, his own wand at the ready.

"How dare you suggest that I don't listen to my own wife?"

"Ronald – you don't. But that's beside the point. Please can we all sit down and talk like civilized witches and wizards?" Hermione pleaded, worried that this discussion would devolve into a duel soon.

"What do you mean I don't listen to you?" Ron questioned uncomprehendingly.

"Well are you doing it now? Please, Ronald. I don't want this to be any more difficult that it already will be."

Finally, he acquiesced and both wizards sat down, Ronald stealing her cup of coffee.

"Before we start, Ronald I need you to take an Oath. I need you to swear that no matter what happens in this discussion you will not harm Draco Malfoy."

Draco looked at Hermione surprised. That wasn't a part of the plan, but he was glad she thought of it. Ron was likely to try to kill him once he found out that he was "blackmailing Granger."

"Why would I agree to that 'Mione? Have you gone insane?" Ron asked incredulously.

"No Ronald, I have not gone _insane_. However I know your temper and I would like to insure that no one gets injured here today," she rationalized.

"If I have to take one shouldn't he have to too?" he asked stubbornly.

"He already has," Hermione lied.

"How am I supposed to believe that Hermione?"

"Are you saying you don't believe me Ronald?" Hermione asked in mock-hurt.

"Of course not 'Mione, I don't trust him."

"I know you don't. So you are just going to have to trust me Ron," he nodded and she continued, "Take the Oath Ron."

He did as she asked, and she smiled. Funny that the only time he would actually do what she asked was right before she divorced him.

"Ron you know how you are always saying that Malfoy is up to something by having me work for him," he nodded, "Well you were right. He's blackmailing me."

The redhead immediately jumped up, his wand pointed in the blond's smirking face.

"Ron! The Oath! Please just sit back down and hear me out."

Reluctantly he did, keeping his wand pointed at the blond wizard beneath the table, but pretend to give Hermione his full attention.

"Alright, 'Mione. Tell me what the horrible Ferret did so I can kill him."

She smiled knowing that he would try and nothing would happen. The Oath was one of her better ideas.

"Malfoy caught me tampering with the evidence for one of our biggest cases. He's threatening to go public with the scandal and if he does it could affect you as well as me."

Ron glared at the blond but said nothing, allowing her to continue.

"If the scandal gets out people will connect you to me, and the first people that are going to do that will be the owners of the Cannons. You know what will happen when they connect you to a scandal like that don't you?"

"Yeah, they'll kick me off the team." He responded numbly, "Hermione you can't let that happen. I _have_ to play Quidditch."

"I know Ron, which is why I've come up with a plan." She paused, taking a breath for dramatic effect and then continued, "If we get divorced you won't be connect to the scandal anymore if and when it breaks."

Ron's jaw dropped; obviously, he was not expecting that.

"Think about it Ron we've been having some issues lately anyway, this is probably for the best," Hermione pleaded, scared that he would protest.

"Is that the only way we can get around this scandal issue?" Ron asked, surprisingly calm.

"Yes I'm afraid it is Ron." Hermione feigned an apologetic tone.

"Well then I guess we'll have to do it, won't we. I know neither of us wants to put my career in danger."

_Typical that he doesn't care that my career and reputation are allegedly at stake_, Hermione mused.

"Well that's great Weasel. I'm glad you've decided to make this easier on poor little old Granger. Here, I already have the papers," he conjured them with a flick of his wand, "If you'll sign here and here. And Granger signs here and here. You two will be divorced."

Ron glared at him but signed in the appropriate places nonetheless before handing the quill to Hermione. After she had signed, the paper glowed purple and disappeared signalling the dissolution of their marriage.

Ron stood from the table, looking a tad lost.

"Well I guess I'll go start to pack some of my things. It will be nice to have my own place to bring Quidditch groupies back to anyways." Hermione rolled her eyes at the statement. "Thanks for saving my career Hermione."

As he left the kitchen, Hermione looked over at Draco with a sense of relief. All this time she hadn't been sure that the plan would truly work. Thank Merlin she married a moron.

Six Months Later

Within a few weeks, all of Ron's things had been moved out of the flat. Draco had started spending most nights there with Hermione. The two were settling into their new lifestyle quite comfortably. They should have known better.

One night as the two lay in bed, Hermione woke to the sounds of banging from downstairs. She had heard it often enough to know that Ron was drunk and in her flat but she could not, for the life of her, figure out why.

"Draco," she nudged him awake, "Draco, Ron's downstairs. And he's drunk. I'm going to go down and see what he wants."

He merely groaned and rolled over. He was the heaviest sleeper she'd ever met, including Crookshanks.

Hermione got up out of bed and walked down the stairs to see Ron hunched over the couch struggling to get up.

"Ron what are you doing here? It's four o'clock in the morning. You should go back to your flat."

"'Mione," he slurred. "I'm here to see you. You see I'm randy as hell and the groupies don't come to the Cannon's locker rooms anymore. I was hoping we could have a go at it for old time's sake."

"Absolutely not Ronald! You need to go home, now!" Hermione said firmly.

She heard Draco come down the stairs behind her, obviously awoken finally by the commotion.

"What's going on Little One?" he called.

"It is nothing Draco, Ron was just leaving. Weren't you Ron?"

"Wait Draco? What the bloody fuck is Malfoy doing here?" Ron then tried to barge up the stairs to get to Malfoy, but Hermione drew her wand first.

"Stupefy!"

The next thing she knew Ron had tumbled down the stair and bashed his head into the coffee table. His head was bleeding profusely and he appeared to be knocked out. Hermione panicked, what had she done?

"Rennervate!" she shouted, but it made no difference, Ron just laid there still and lifeless.

"Draco! Help!" she yelled and he ran down the rest of the way to her.

As soon as Draco saw Ron, he knew it was too late. Ron was dead.

Her turned to Hermione and grabbed her face between his hands. He looked her right in the eyes and began to murmur.

"Don't panic Hermione; I will take care of it. Just like last time, I will take care of it again. Do you trust me?"

"Yes, Draco, I trust you," she whispered before she collapsed to sit on the stairs.

"Ok good, now this is what we are going to tell the Aurors when they get here: Ron broke into the apartment and he was drunk. They will be able to confirm that with a simple charm and they will believe it. Ron was a known alcoholic anyways so they might not even bother to check. We'll say that he must have tripped coming up the stairs to see you and fell and hit his head."

Hermione shook her head and Draco got up to Floo the Aurors. The next thing Hermione knew her flat was bustling with people in bright yellow robes and every single one of them was asking her questions about what had happened.

It was exhausting but she stuck to their story. By the time the last Auror had left, Ron's body in tow, Hermione was about to fall asleep right there on the bottom step. She felt Draco's strong arms pulling her up to stand and then picking her up and carrying her up the stairs.

After he laid her in their bed, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"You know, now I'm going to really have to blackmail you," he whispered into her ear.

"What are you talking about, Draco." She asked sleepily.

"Well we can't let anyone know that you are the reason that Ron Weasley is dead now can we? Nope. You'll just have to marry me to keep your little secret."

She turned in his arms to see the huge grin on his face and laughed.

"Of course I'll marry you Draco. Blackmail or not."

As the tiny witch fell asleep in his arms, Draco thought that deciding to blackmail Hermione Granger was the smartest decision he had ever made.


End file.
